This was an excellent topic. I'm 67 years old and have lived through all this and although you felt this, you couldn't put a finger on what was going on. I'm trying desperately to simplify what Mr. Mandell said, with great difficulty. I have lived and worked through that "we must cut wages" and "you're not productive enough, we're losing money." Bull crap. I also saw the employees were making suggestions to improve production,, they were paid a pittance while the company gained millions off the ideas. I got paid a whopping $68. for an idea that definitely cut cost for GM. Also, I was hired in when the "half rate" was in effect, working beside people who made twice what I did, yet did the same job.
I did not know that corporations and government were making these kinds of decisions as long as 40 years ago. I thought the evil had taken over in the Clinton administration with NAFTA.